In the End
by Packersfan12
Summary: It had been almost two hundred and fifty years since she had left that dance floor, and every emotion he had shown her, had felt himself, that night had left with her. *Set before Seras Victoria's time* Alucard/O.C.
1. Chapter 1

Alucard sat in a dark corner, alone, solemnly watching people as they whizzed past him. He delicately sipped wine out of the glass that was clasped between his index and middle finger of his right hand, which was swathed in his usual white gloves. His red eyes peeked over his sunglasses, surveying the crowed before him.

It was Christmas time, and Hellsing was alive with merriment and dancing, much to Alucard's distaste. It was the one time of year when Integra decided to throw a ball, where vampires and humans alike got together to meet with old friends and make new acquaintances. Even the occasional Master/Servant relationship came out of the dance, which Alucard quietly scoffed at.

Every year, Integra held a ball, and every year Alucard contemplated shooting himself with a blessed bullet to end the pain. Joy and happiness repulsed him, whereas the misery and dread that followed in his wake brought him immense pleasure.

He shifted in the high-backed chair he rested in, looking up to watch two female vampires walk past him. Their red eyes met his, and they ducked their heads to whisper to each other. They turned their backs to him and disappeared into the crowd, but not after giving him a sly grin.

He let them go without a word, having promised Integra he wouldn't make a scene. Under any other circumstances he would have torn them apart for daring to look at him without so much as a bow.

_The actions of one should not shadow all. _His demon whispered to him as it swirled around his shoulders.

_Whatever do you mean_? He asked, but he already knew the answer.

_You know of whom I speak. Your thoughts are always centered around her at this time of year._ His demon said.

_Hardly._ Alucard shot back, but his demon was always right and he knew it, not that he'd ever admit to it that it was.

_Those girls would have been suitable choices for the night. Many you've come across had thoughts in mind other than talking, but you've passed all of them up without so much as a glance. _His demon swirled again, _We both know you're waiting for her. You can't wait forever._

Alucard frowned, _I wait for no one. I choose to overlook them because they are not worth my time. _

_ Keep telling yourself that, _his demon said, _it still doesn't make it true._

Alucard closed his eyes, dismissing the words of his demon. He didn't need a mate, he didn't before, he didn't now, and he wouldn't ever. There was no one that was worth bonding over in this world.

But no matter how much he tried, the thoughts of her still clouded his mind. His demon had been right when it said that she was in his thoughts during this time of year. It wasn't too long ago that he had met her, about two hundred and fifty years. She had been standing on the staircase in the billowing black dress, like a goddess.

It had been at a ball, similar to Integra's, in Paris. He had been invited by...someone, he couldn't quite remember all the little details. It was during Christmas, so all the female vampires in the city wore light dresses, making his crimson attire stand out in contrast.

He had been listening to a girl rambling about such and such when he'd seen her descending the staircase. She would have taken his breath away, if he had been breathing. It was the first time he had felt a feeling since he was changed. She wore a black dress, as black as midnight, drawing the attention of the other females in the room. They whispered to each other, scoffed at her.

The female standing across from him had said, "Apparently she didn't get the memo. She looks like a fool."

But Alucard had turned away from her without hearing a word. She had probably stormed off in a fit like most of them did, but he didn't care. When did he ever care?

"You look marvelous my lady." He said, catching hold of her hand and kissed it before the black clothed woman knew what was happening.

She put a hand to her throat and chuckled, "Why thank you my Lord, but I am of no noble blood."

He released her hand and grinned, "I know."

She smiled again, and bowed, "Your kindness flatters me."

Alucard chuckled at the thought of kindness, removing his hat and saying, "My name is Alucard."

"Oh I know who you are," She said, her dark eyes meeting his, "how could I not?"

"You may, but it is I who doesn't know you."

The beauty dropped her eyes to the floor, and then back up to him, "My name is Mercy."

"Mercy." He drawled, liking the way it rolled off his tongue. He glanced back at her, her dark eyes already boring into his. He blinked, suddenly realizing that her eyes were not red. "My lady," he said, "your eyes are not those of a vampire."

Like magic before him, her eyes faded to red, "Oh," She squeaked, "I had almost forgotten."

Alucard's interest was peaked, and he asked, "How did you do that?"

Mercy glanced around at the crowd, some of whom were staring at them, "It is terribly hot in here, would you mind accompanying me to the windows?"

Alucard, too, glanced around and offered her his arm, "Right this way my lady."

He found a suitable balcony to lead her out on, and closed the glass doors leading inside so that they were completely alone. He turned to her and marveled at her beauty again, her face small and pale, so delicate, her soft chocolate hair was pulled up into curls that hung down her back. She had a curvy figure, her dress clinging to her hips. And her breasts...

He bit his lip and forced his gaze to her eyes, "You're a shape shifter."

"Yes." She said.

"What is your true form?"

"This." she confirmed, "I may be a shape shifter, but I am new to it. The physical toll is too great, so I only hide when I have to."

"Did you?" He asked, "Your eyes were different."

She paused for a moment, her eyes blank, and he figured she was consulting her demon. Her eyes suddenly snapped up to him and said, "Usually when I walk around town I change my eyes so people don't know I'm a vampire. It's better for everyone."

"You should be proud of who you are." Alucard said quietly, "Being a vampire is a privilege."

"I don't even remember much of my human life. It was so long ago." She murmured, "My Master was killed when I was a fledgling, so I've been on my guard now. I like to play it safe."

"How long have you been on your own?"

"A hundred years or so." She shrugged, the wind rustling her hair. She lifted up her dress, revealing her thigh. Strapped to it was a knife that stretched from her hip to her knee, the blade etched with Gaelic markings. "I've learned how to take care of myself." A wry smile etched her lips, making Alucard's stomach twist with arousal.

"I can see that." He said, moving closer to her, so that their toes touched, "The question is," he ran his fingers lightly down her arm, "can you use it?" he whispered in her ear.

The knife was above his heart in an instant, faster than he he had thought. He smiled, "You are something, aren't you Mercy?" He leaned back, taking a step backwards from her, "I like you."

"Is that a complement coming from the mighty Alucard?"

"I prefer magnificent."

Mercy smiled, the breeze blowing her scent in his direction. He could smell her arousal, which made him chuckle, "Would you like to dance?"

She took his gloved hand and said, "I would love to."

He lead her to the dance floor, where a new song was just beginning. The crowd parted for them, and the couples on the dance floor made adequate room for the feared vampire. Mercy took his hand, and bowed to him as the females did. The song began, a nice slow song, and she and Alucard moved together gracefully, dancing their way around the floor.

When the song ended, they both clapped and he said, "You are a magnificent dancer."

"This isn't my first ball." She said, her red eyes sweeping over the room, "I've had years of dancing to practice."

The next song was slower, and Alucard swept her up to lay an arm around her waist, holding her left hand in his. "Tell me, Mercy, why are you actually here?"

She frowned, "I was invit-"

"Yes, yes, you had to have been." He smiled, "But why are you actually here? You were looking for someone on the staircase, and something tells me I don't have to guess who it is. So tell me, who sent you to kill me?"

She looked up at him, her innocence fading to wryness, "You are as smart as they say, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't be alive if I wasn't."

"It was an anonymous offer, and they're paying me far more than you're worth." She said darkly, and he swung her around to the sway of the song.

He growled, bending his head down to smell her neck, "You should watch your place." he whispered in her ear.

He saw the goosebumps rise on her soft pale skin, skin he would love to run his hands over. Her body was stiff, her arousal growing, "Or you'll kill me?"

"Or I'll ravage you." He said lowly, moving her face so that it was inches from hers, "Why didn't you kill me on the balcony?"

"I-" she paused, her demon swirling around her shoulders.

"Why?"

She didn't answer, her red eyes just staring at his. He smiled, showing the tips of his fangs, and bent down to lightly brush his lips against hers. She inhaled sharply, her arousal at its peak, and parted her lips to kiss him back. The arm around her waist tightened, crushing her body to his, and he dropped her left hand to cup the back of her head. The tips of her fangs brushed his lower lip, and he smiled, wanting to take her then and there.

She pushed against him, and he let her go without complaint. "I shouldn't have done that." She whispered, her face flushed with color, "I should go."

"No," Alucard grabbed her arm, "come with me."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Come with me, as a companion." He said, "Spend an eternity by my side, and I promise you, you will not regret it."

"Oh, trust me, Alucard," She smiled darkly, "you wouldn't want me." And with that, her shadows rose up and she phased out of the room. The crowd murmured around him as he stood staring at the place she had been, now only an empty spot.

Alucard opened his eyes to the present as one of the servants poured more wine into his glass. His thoughts put him into a bad mood, and he swiped the glass away, rising to his full height. The servant bowed and scurried away, and Alucard retreated to his basement room to sulk.

That was then, and he was a much different vampire now.

It had been almost two hundred and fifty years since she had left that dance floor, and every emotion he had shown her that night had left with her, never to come back to him again.

_**I just want to start off by thanking everyone for taking the time to read my little beginning here! It was actually one of my favorite first chapters to write, and I'm pretty excited to write more! **_

_** This story takes place before Seras Victoria came into the picture, just so everyone knows. **_

_** Please review because they are what fuels my ambition to write more! **_

_** Thanks guys! **_


	2. Chapter 2

A shrill scream pierced the air, echoing through the halls of Hellsing. The music cut short, and every head in the room turned to where the sound had come from.

Above the dance floor, on the second story wrap-around balcony, young Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing rose out of the plush chair she had been resting in. She gracefully strode to the railing and looked down at the crowd below her, her butler Walter at her side. Her slim blonde eyebrows furrowed as she saw a thick stain of crimson starting to make its way across the floor.

In the middle of the room, a vampire stood with his teeth sunk deep into a human woman's throat, her blood having sprayed the guests around them. For a moment everyone was too stunned to know what was happening, the shock of the vampire's actions overtaking them all.

"Walter," Integra said quietly.

"Yes, Sir Integra?"

"Things are about to get interesting around here."

"I do believe you are correct." He responded, tightening his gloves around his hands.

As soon as the words left his lips, the room erupted into a roar of chaos. Humans rushed to where the vampire had bitten the woman and were trying to pull him away from her, while the vampires attacked the humans. Blood bathed the room, and the thick irony scent made Integra's head hurt.

"Integra!" Someone shouted, and she turned to find a tall, muscled vampire making his way toward her. A twisted grin was planted on his face and his red eyes glowed with the desire for her blood. She stood her ground, not even worrying that he would make it to her, "I order you to stand down." She shouted.

"I'm going to tear out your throat, and I'm going to laugh at your cries as I rip you apart, limb by limb." He growled.

"I'd like to see you try." She said, with the smallest of smiles.

As if on cue, thin lines of light shot forward and hit the vampire. For a moment nothing happened, and then his eyes widened as blood sprayed around him and he fell to the floor in pieces. Walter stood next to her, dusting off his hands, the steel cables disappearing.

The floor below was starting to fall silent, and Integra found that the humans were all dead. Her stomach twisted as every vampire turned their heads up to look at her with glowing red eyes.

"Alucard." She whispered.

The vampires rushed for the stairs, some of them jumping up to the rail, all heading in her direction. Walter gritted his teeth and threw his hands out, sending the steel cables thudding into the oncoming vampires, but he couldn't move fast enough. Even with his skill set, Walter was only one person, and he and Integra were severely outnumbered.

Integra stood firm, drawing the knife she kept under her suit, fully prepared to defend Hellsing with her life.

Where was Alucard?

She and Walter stood back to back as they were soon surrounded by a circle of vampires upon vampires, all with blood dripping down their faces.

One lunged at Integra, and she kicked him in the stomach, sending her knife through his head and swinging him over the rail. They kept coming, and it was all she could do to keep herself from being bitten or torn to shreds.

In the corner of her eye, she saw a vampire heading straight for her, his mouth open and fangs ready. She tried to turn to block him, but he was faster than she was. She gritted her teeth and dropped her shoulder as a last ditch effort to slow his advance.

A blade erupted through his mouth from behind, spraying blood onto Integra. The vampire's eyes widened as the blade was ripped back out of his mouth and plunged into his heart. The vampire dropped to his knees, before he fell forward and disappeared into a pile of ash.

Integra looked up to find a woman with dark hair as she swung her sword into more oncoming vampires, her black jacket billowing menacingly around her. She quickly fought her way to stand in between Integra and the vampire hoard, and said, "Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, I'm assuming?"

"You would be correct." Integra answered, "What is going on?"

"No time to explain, where's Alucard?" The woman asked.

"I don't know." Integra muttered.

"I believe he is in the basement, sir." Walter spoke up from behind her, his white sleeves stained crimson, "He left the party early."

"Typical." Integra said.

"We need to leave." The woman shouted, decapitating a nearby vampire.

"I will not abandon Hellsing." Intregra said, "I would give my life before that."

"And that's what they want," The woman said, turning to her, "take my hand. I'm getting you out of here."

"Walter," Integra said, turning to her butler.

He smiled, "Go, Sir Integra, I'll tidy up here."

Integra gritted her teeth, "Why should I trust you?"

"I'm a friend of Alucard's." The woman said.

"All the more reason _not _to trust you."

A vampire grabbed the woman's arm, twisting her so she had to look at him. He grinned and sunk his teeth into her neck. Integra gasped, rising to try and stop him, but he tore his fangs out of the woman's neck and spat out her blood, "What?"

The woman grinned, revealing her fangs, and struck him through the heart with her sword. Integra gasped with surprise, her eyes hadn't been red.

A commotion at the end of the hallway made everyone turn to see what was happening, and Integra saw a familiar red and black blur effortlessly making its way down the hallway.

Alucard was back, and the look on his face was of pure rage, enough to instill all the terror of the world in the vampires. The woman stepped back to stand next to Integra and watched with amazement as Alucard decimated the vampire numbers. The rest that had been facing Walter also watched the bloodbath, and turned to run towards the door. Alucard finished tearing the heart out of the last vampire on Integra's side and started to follow the others, when Integra said, "Enough."

Alucard stopped on command and watched them go. Walter sniffed, "Well they sure made a mess out of this year."

"Forgive me, Master, for being late to the real party." Alucard said, turning his red gaze on Integra, "I-" he stopped short upon seeing the woman next to her.

For the first time since she had awoken the vampire king, Integra saw a look of complete shock take over his features. She looked over at the woman, who was meeting Alucard's gaze with defiance.

"You-" Alcuard whispered. He then cleared his throat, and the look of shock vanished, replaced with his usual laid back self, "You look like a pirate." He motioned to the woman's long dark coat, embroidered with gold.

She sniffed, "You look like a buffoon."

Integra and Walter both stared open-mouthed at her, anticipating Alucard's fiery wrath to be unleashed. Instead he laughed, nearly making Integra and Walter faint on the spot.

"Your hat got bigger." The woman said, "And what's with the pedophile sunglasses? Who even wears sunglasses inside?"

"You haven't changed I see." Alucard muttered, "Other than the pirate jacket."

"It's a trench coat." She said defensively, "Not unlike yours."

Integra cleared her throat loudly, turning her gaze upon Alucard, who smiled, "My Master, forgive me, this is-"

"Mercy." The woman said, holding out her hand which Integra shook, "Mercy Monroe."

"What just happened here?" Integra asked.

"I can explain that later, right now we need to leave, there will be more coming." Mercy said, swinging her swords up to place them in the sheath strapped to her back, "And this time, I don't know if we can stop them."

"You forget who you're talking to." Alucard said quietly.

Mercy turned her glowing red gaze on him, "I know exactly who I'm speaking to, but there will be hundreds soon flooding this building, and Integra can't fight them off well enough yet. She still hasn't undergone her full training."

"Don't underestimate her." Alucard growled, "I would never allow her to fight on her own."

"I think what she's trying to say, sir," Walter piped up, "is that the vampire numbers will be so great, that we won't have enough time to keep a good enough eye on Integra and fight off the vampires at the same time."

"Thank you, butler." Mercy said, nodding in his direction.

"I would never let anything happen to her." Alucard said, his laid back attitude changing to one of anger, "And you can never be trusted, what makes you think I would let her go with you?"

"Because I'm trying to save her." Mercy crossed her arms, "There is a plot to overthrow Integra and turn Hellsing into a vampire-run organization to wipe out all humans who oppose us."

"What?" Integra asked, "Nonsense, they would never succeed."

"They can, and they will if you don't come with me." Mercy said desperately.

The doors at the other end of the hall burst open and a man rushed through them, a gun strapped to his back. He skittered across the floor and bolted up the staircase, taking them two at a time. He rounded the corner and dashed towards them waving his arms, "They're coming!" he shouted, his red ponytail flying in the wind behind him.

Alucard and Walter stepped protectively in front of Integra, Alucard with his teeth bared. He stepped forward to attack the oncoming man, when Mercy put a hand on his chest, "Not so fast. He's with me."

The man came to a halt in front of them, bending over to rest his hands on his knees, breathing in heavy gulps of air. "They're...coming." He said, "Hundreds."

"A Frenchman. Fantastic." Alucard muttered.

"How far out?" Mercy asked him.

He swallowed heavily and said, "About a mile or so. We need to leave, mon cher."

"Who is this fool?" Alucard asked, making the Frenchman straighten and frown, and he opened his mouth to defend his pride.

"This is Pip Bernadotte, a loyal friend." Mercy butted in before he could anger Alucard further, "We've been through hell and back, if you can't trust me, trust him."

"Beautiful words madame, but in all seriousness, we need to go or we will surely die." Pip said.

Mercy looked to Integra, who was mulling it over in her mind, "I am not one to run in the face of danger," Mercy sighed, throwing up her hands, "but, if it is for the better of Hellsing, I must."

Alucard frowned, but bowed his head in submission to his master. Mercy smiled, "Right then, this way. Pip and I have provided transportation."

Integra stepped in front of Alucard, who followed diligently behind her. She looked back and found that Walter was still standing in his same spot, "Walter, we must hurry."

"I'm afraid I won't be joining you, sir." The butler said, "Someone must stay behind to defend Hellsing, and it can't be you."

Integra nodded, sharing a final glance with her beloved friend, and then followed Mercy's lead. In front of her, the Frenchman, Pip, threw open the doors to Hellsing and said, "Ta-da!"

A jeep was parked neatly in front of the building, making Integra sigh internally. Jeeps weren't really her style.

Pip got in the driver's seat after opening the passenger door for Mercy. Alucard snarled at him when he tried getting the door for Integra, so he just shrugged and got in. As they sped quickly away from Hellsing, Integra could make out hundreds of vampires running toward the building, her building, and she turned around, focusing her eyes on the road ahead.

**_So I know what you're thinking, why is Integra so whimpy yadda-yadda. In this story, she's still young, I'm not sure what age, but probably sixteen or seventeen, so she's still somewhat dependent on her warriors, still trying to get comfortable with her authority. _**

**_ Anyhoo, I hope you liked it!_**


End file.
